Bureau of Land Management nominee withdraws from confirmation process

President Donald Trump just had another nominee bow out of consideration.

For the most part, Trump has been successful in getting his first choices through the Senate confirmation process, but that will not be the case for Kathleen Sgamma.

Sgamma was Trump’s pick to head the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), but she just withdrew her name from consideration.

I’m out

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) is the chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that would hold the confirmation hearing for this position.

Lee announced that Sgamma was no longer being considered.

With her hearing scheduled for Thursday, Lee announced, “I was informed by the White House earlier today that one of the nominees scheduled for consideration at today’s hearing, Kathleen Sgamma … has withdrawn from consideration.”

Sgamma provided a statement to the White House on the matter, stating, “It was an honor to be nominated by President Trump as Director of the Bureau of Land Management, but unfortunately at this time I need to withdraw my nomination.

“I will continue to support President Trump and fight for his agenda to Unleash American Energy in the private sector,” she added.

I had not heard any whispers about Republicans being upset over this nomination, so I cannot offer any insight as to why she pulled her name from consideration at this point.

I do know she has previously headed up the trade group Western Energy Alliance, so I am thinking that she was perhaps offered a role in the private sector she thought would be more useful in terms of helping Trump.

The White House also offered little information, merely stating, “We accept her withdrawal and look forward to putting forth another nominee.”

This is a fairly significant appointment for the Trump administration when you consider what the president wants to do in the energy and farming sectors.

This office oversees energy production as well as other activities related to the farming industry, such as livestock grazing, on federally owned lands.

Trump will clearly be looking to make more use of federal lands, especially on the energy front, which is why it is vital that he picks someone who buys into his agenda 100%.

As of this report, the White House had not issued a statement on a possible replacement for Sgamma.